Windows Media Player 10 using 100% CPU usage

[Lomax_UK]

Hi,

I have found that windows media player 10 is using up 100% of the CPU usage after it has been running for a few minutes, bringing everything else to a standing halt.  I've scanned my computer for viruses and spyware and have tried re-installing it.  Is there anything I can do?

[ian.miller]

It might be trying to scan your hard drive for files for it's library, is your hard drive light flashing during this? (usually an LED on the front of your PC near the power button)

[Lomax_UK]

Yeah, that's going off.  But it will stop after a while and stay the same CPU usage.  It also doesn't say that it's doing anything.

[Ralph]

There's a small program called Process Explorer which you can get from: http://tinyurl.com/5bp9a . This is kind of like the Windows Task Manager, but gives a load more info. I used it to diagnose a similar problem that I once had with CPU usage shooting up and staying there. I thought it was a recently installed game but the above program pointed me in the direction of my USB joystick.
It's free and doesn't need to be installed so have a go and see what it says, at the least it'll give you some more Googleable material.